From Ascription to Achievement: Rethinking Marxian Perspectives in Feminism

Feminists start with the standpoint of women. Feminism originates with the perception that there is something wrong with society's treatment of women. It attempts to act as a scanning device for rendering opportunities of visualising the previously invisible components in ‘gender’ relations. Women are convinced with beliefs of biological inferiority. This aspect has internalised into the society with features that are external and imposed upon women. It has been the root for multidimensional oppression of women throughout the societies of the world. Feminism strictly opposes women's oppression of every kind.

To develop ideas of feminism based on Marxism has been a difficult task for many of the feminist Marxist thinkers, however the discovery of what ‘oppression’ means, serves the basis for highlighting Feminism's inevitability to incorporate Marxian perspectives. Marxian Feminists are trying to understand the objective, social, economic and political relations which determine women's oppression. Women's oppression as a part of our lives, part of our sexuality and part of how we relate to men as individuals, etc., are major concerns of Marxist Feminist.

Women's main basis of their oppression is ‘sex’. Their biological differences, their reproductive functions and their natural emotional attachment while nurturing their children imprison them within limit. Based on these natural endowments, there has always been certain social constructs that enables society to oppress women in different fronts.

My paper will endeavour to discuss above stated issues along with the need for the women to act, to organise and to struggle against the discriminations based on sex as an ascribed status.